On Monday, the IDF announced the start of its combined operations Khan Yunis. Prior to the operation's launch, residents in the area received warnings and calls for evacuation.
"Over the past day, IDF troops began operational activity in the area of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, eliminating terrorists in tank and aerial strikes. As part of the activity, IDF aircraft struck over 50 terror infrastructure sites, including weapons storage facilities, observation posts, and structures used by Hamas terrorists, as well as underground tunnel routes in the area," the IDF said on Telegram.
IDF soldiers continue their operations in the Rafah area, the IDF also said, adding that the troops eliminated "dozens of terrorists in targeted aerial strikes and close-quarters combat."
On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel and breached the border, attacking both civilian neighborhoods and military bases. Nearly 1,200 people in Israel were killed, and some 240 others were abducted during the attack. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages.